Saturday, 27 August 2011

After my quite productive Hermit and Stitch last weekend I actually haven't had much stitching time this week so there isn't much progress to show, only about an hour or so. It's probably not even 200 stitches, possibly not even 100. So there honestly is a difference, but you might have to really squint to see it. There's a little more grey and black been filled in And I still love the castle, I got so excited when I could finally see the castle appear, and I do like the twists on the tree.

I'm going back to my Dictionary of Tea this week, in a final push to get it finished so it can go back to my friend to give to her friend. The end is in sight on it so that's where I'm going.

Thank you for everyone's comments on parking, I'm still undecided about that I think. I think it's quite good when doing really confetti sections, which some of this page has been, but I think I'm a cross country girl at heart, so I suspect I'm going to end up doing a combination of the two on my HAEDs, cross country for the bigger colours to give me a base to work on, then a bit of parking to do some of the more fiddly confetti bits that are needed to finish off.

Monday, 22 August 2011

Here's my progress or International Hermit & Stitch Weekend, and I'm quite proud of my progress, even if I do say so myself, there's a definite difference between Saturday morning and Sunday evening, it's not quite the page finish I was aiming for, but it's close enough.

And I should probably explain by the way, it's a new technique to me, but it's something that half of you, if not more, are already using. I thought I'd give parking a go and see how I get on with it. I can see the logic or it, but at the moment I'm getting a little confused with all the different threads. I'll keep it up for the rest of the page, and for one of my next page starts and see how I go from there.

I think I've managed to comment on most of the progress pictures that have gone up so far, but if I've missed anyone I apologise.

Sunday, 21 August 2011

I hope everyone's having a lovely weekend and those that are joining in are having a productive International Hermit & Stitch! I've just had a rather exciteable phone call from the boy who is now on his way home again, apparently it was a fun stag weekend, riding go-karts and jumping off cliffs (absolutely mad!)

I have discovered a beautiful kit, I've never heard any mention of it before, and it's just lovely! It's the Grand Ball by John Clayton and I'm competley in love with it, and can't understand why no one's told me about it before this point.

As for my stitching, it's going well, not quite where I wanted to be, but I've still got another 3 or 4 hours before he gets home, so there's still time, and I'm trying a new technique, so I'll see how that goes and whether it makes any difference!

Saturday, 20 August 2011

Boyfriend evicted from the house (kinda, he's on a stag weekend... again... I swear, he has to be running out of friends that aren't married)

Nothing else that I have to do today (except possibly go out for a smoothie, the weather's gorgeous out there), let the stitchathon commence.

Here's my picture of where I'm upto at the moment, (once again I look at the photo and suddenly see what the stitching actually looks like). I've actually managed quite a bit this week due to a bit of time off, so my ambition is to get this page finished this weekend, I reckon it's just about doable is I really do have a proper stitchathon this weekend.

Hope everyone enjoys International Hermit and Stitch weekend, can't wait to see all the progress pictures.

Saturday, 13 August 2011

Another tea pot has been completed, and it looks pretty cool, even if I do say so myself, and there are only another three left, so I'm so close to finish on this, which my friend will be very grateful for, because it'll mean that she can get it framed up (should I be generous and offer to do it for her?) and give it to her friend, as it's always been intended for! About another three weeks worth left on this, but I'm going to put it away for a couple of weeks now, as the call of Dragon Rider has just been too strong.

I packed this up when I finished the back stitch last night and got Dragon Rider out and thought, 'Well, I might as well just decide which colour I'm going to do next... Well, I might as well thread the needle up so it's ready for me to start tomorrow... Well, I might as well do a couple of stitches, just to attach the cotton... Well, I might as well do this little block here... Well, I might as well do that block there now that I've decided which way round I'm going to go..." and so on, you know how it is. I'd pakced Dictionary up because I was going to go to bed, and then I lost another half an hour to Dragon Rider, ah well! So, two weeks on this, including International Hermit and Stitch Weekend next weekend, where Ben's away so I really am going to hermit and stitch, hoping to get the second page finished, where I think I'm a little under half way at the moment, it's possibly a little ambitious, but it'll be fun!

Oh yeah, and I'm about to go back and edit my Bucket List (again) and add yet another 4 on, I think that puts me over 60... it's looking less and less likely like I'm going to finish this list, because I just keep adding to it.

And on that note I think it's time to set some mid-year targets... I've just looked at my new year targets and I'm basically gonig to throw that out of the window.1. Another page of Lance and Gwen2. Finish the page I'm on and do the half page below on Dragon Rider3. Next two pages of Winter's Majesty (that might be ambitious)4. Finish Dictionary of Tea (easy)5. Birth sampler for friends. (it's picked, but I need to finish Tea to free up the frame, and to make sure I've got all my threads)I think it's mostly do-able, but Winter's Majesty might be my down fall as I'm a bit on off with her at the moment.

Check out the monster post... right, I'm off to decide what to spend this months audible credit on!

Tuesday, 9 August 2011

I pinched this idea from The Enchanted Burrow, she's just finished her latest WIP and while deciding what to stitch next she started thinking about what would be on her stitching Bucket List. And it got me wondering what mine would be. And remember that I've already got 5 on the go to finish first so for the sake of accuracy, I'll put those on the list first:

Oh dear, I make that 46 charts (plus 5 already on the go), and that's just off the top of my head. If I average one a year (some easily small enough, some far too big, so it'll average out), then I might just manage it. Wish my luck!

A stitching I will go, a stitching I will go.ey, ay, adieeo, a stitching I will go.

So go on then, be brave, what's your bucket list, then look back once a year, add on the ones that you've found in the last year and cross off the ones that you've completed, it'll be fun!

2nd EDIT:Bothy: Cut Thru CastleMirabilia: Spring QueenMirabilia: Summer QueenMirabilia: Autumn QueenMirabilia: Winter QueenPenguin Parade (can't remember the make)LOTR: I've got for Lord of the Ring Charts by Fluffy Kittens (I kid you not), I'd like to do one of them, don't mind which)Cross Stitch Collection: HeathcliffeCross Stitch Collection: Robin Hood (think these two would nice in a nursery for some reason)And that's 73 - one a year means I now need to reach 100 - this isn't looking good! And I'm going to have to buy 27 of them. HELP!

Thursday, 4 August 2011

Winter's Majesty has returned, and while I enjoyed working on her I got bored quite quickly, so I think it might be a long time before I manage to finish it! But there's quite a difference (I think anway). I've done all the back stitch on the bottom third (but most of it's gold, so it doesn't photograph very well. And you can see shapes beginning to take place on the page above. the blue/grey is the beginning of her elbows, and the red to the right shows the beginning of the shape of her shoulders. She's gone away again already, but I'll come back to her soon I'm sure. I go in fits and starts on this, so I'm sure I'll have another fit on her soon enough!